This disclosure is generally directed to photoconductors, and the like. More specifically, the present disclosure is directed to rigid or multilayered flexible, belt photoconductors, or devices comprised of an optional supporting medium like a substrate, an optional undercoat, or a hole blocking layer usually situated between the substrate and the photogenerating layer; a fluorogallium phthalocyanine containing photogenerating layer, and at least one charge transport layer wherein at least one is from 1 to about 5, from 1 to about 3, 2, 1, and the like, such as a first charge transport layer and a second charge transport layer; an optional adhesive layer, and an optional overcoating layer, and wherein at least one of the charge transport layers contains at least one charge transport component, and a polymer or resin binder, and where, in embodiments, the resin binder selected for the undercoat layer is a known suitable binder including a binder that is substantially insoluble in a number of solvents like methylene chloride, examples of these binders being illustrated in copending application Ser. No. 11/593,658, filed Nov. 7, 2006, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference. Also, when present the hole blocking layer can contain in embodiments phenol resins, known hole blocking layer polymers as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,913,863, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, which discloses a hole blocking layer, a photogenerating layer, and a charge transport layer, and wherein the hole blocking layer is comprised of a metal oxide; and a mixture of a phenolic compound and a phenolic resin wherein the phenolic compound contains at least two phenolic groups, or chlorinated polymeric resins as the binder, and a hydrolyzed aminosilane as the electroconducting species since it is believed that the CH2Cl2 insoluble binders prevent or minimize the migration of hole transport molecules from the upper charge transport layer into lower layers, and then into the undercoat or ground plane layer. Examples of chlorinated homopolymers include polyvinylidene chloride, chlorinated polyvinyl chloride, and chlorinated polyvinylidene chloride. Examples of chlorinated copolymers include copolymers of vinylidene chloride, chlorinated vinyl chloride, and chlorinated vinylidene chloride with vinylidene fluoride, tetrafluoroethylene, trifluorochloroethylene, hexafluoropropylene, and the like.
In embodiments, there are disclosed photoconductors with excellent photosensitivity, such as with E1/2 values (amount of energy required to discharge half the surface potential on the photoconductor) of from about 2.5 to about 9 ergs/cm2, and more specifically, from about 2.9 to about 8.5 ergs/cm2.
A number of advantages are associated with the disclosed photoconductors in addition to their excellent photosensitivity, and for example, the formation of minimal dark decay characteristics, which dark decay can result in undesirable decreased photoconductor operating life, and consequently resulting in increased cost of maintenance, and where the dark decay can result from charge leakage from the photogenerating layer, charge transport layer or layers, undercoat layer or intermediate layers; minimization or prevention of charge leakages from the photogenerating layer to charge transport layer or layers, or from the photogenerating layer to any other layer in the photoconductor, such as the undercoating layer or intermediate, and more specifically, from the photogenerating layer to any upper and lower layers of the photoconductor permitting less undesirable dark decay and extending operating life; and developed images of high resolution.
Also included within the scope of the present disclosure are methods of imaging and printing with the photoconductors illustrated herein. These methods generally involve the formation of an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor or imaging member, followed by developing the image with a toner composition comprised, for example, of thermoplastic resin, colorant, such as pigment, charge additive, and surface additive, reference U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,560,635; 4,298,697 and 4,338,390, the disclosures of which are totally incorporated herein by reference, subsequently transferring the image to a suitable substrate, and permanently affixing the image thereto. In those environments wherein the photoconductor is to be used in a printing mode, the imaging method involves the same operation with the exception that exposure can be accomplished with a laser device or image bar. More specifically, the flexible photoconductor belts disclosed herein can be selected for the Xerox Corporation iGEN® machines that generate with some versions over 100 copies per minute. Processes of imaging, especially xerographic imaging and printing, including digital, and/or color printing, are thus encompassed by the present disclosure.